LATEST EDITORIAL

Alabama senate introduces one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world

Protesters, dressed as handmaids, from left, Bianca Cameron-Schwiesow, Kari Crowe, Allie Curlette and Margeaux Hartline, wait outside of the Alabama statehouse after a ban on nearly all abortions passed the senate in Montgomery last night

You can read 9 more articles this month

ALABAMA has moved to ban abortions after its Republican-controlled senate passed one of the world’s most restrictive laws last night.

The legislation bans abortion except if there is a “serious health risk” to the mother, with no exceptions for rape and incest.

It is thought by supporters that the Bill is likely to be blocked in court, however they hope that an appeals process would bring it before the Supreme Court.

They want to overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, which led to the nationwide legalisation of abortion.

The appointment of two Trump-nominees – Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh – has emboldened their cause as it gives the conservatives a majority in the nine-member court.

The Bill would make it a criminal act to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy with a possible jail term of between 10 and 99 years.

The 25 senators – all white men – voted in favour of passing the Bill with just six in opposition.

State senator Vivian Davis Figures charged: “You don’t have to raise that child. You don’t have to carry that child. You don’t have to provide for that child. You don’t have to do anything for that child, but yet you want to make the decision for that woman?”

The decision to take out a clause that would have allowed abortion in cases of rape and incest angered Democrats, who tabled a series of amendments in an attempt to block the Bill.

Ms Figures said: “Do you know what it’s like to be raped? Why would you not want a woman to at least have that exception for such a horrific act?”

The American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood said they would be filing a lawsuit to block the law and “protect every woman’s right to make her own choice about her healthcare, her body and her future.”